Where Do We Go?
by howstinsonmetscherbatsky
Summary: Jess and Nick have un-called it, but where do they go from there? They'll have to adjust to their new relationship, and getting used to it won't happen overnight, but they'll try their best. Rated M for later sexytimes and occasional language.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi! So, this is my brand new Nick/Jess fic, entitled 'Where Do We Go?' (yes, that is a lyric from Cotton Eyed Joe). This is kind of the introduction chapter, so it isn't incredibly plot-filled. Hope you guys enjoy, and remember, feedback of any kind is appreciated!**

It had been two weeks since Cece's almost-wedding, and Nick and Jess had been in a blissful state of happiness ever since. After they had un-called it, they had both sat down to discuss what they wanted to be. To her surprise, Nick was eager for them to be an official couple, and for a week and five days, that was exactly what they'd been. Nick and Jess had been very... affectionate the past twelve days, much to Schmidt's chagrin. But, as Jess reminded him of the times last year where he and Cece would loudly go at it at all hours of the day, he soon stopped vocalizing his discontent.

It was early morning, and Nick had been awake for half an hour or so. They had decided to sleep in Jess's room that night, not for any reason in particular; it just happened to be the place their lust-filled bodies took them. He liked her bed; the sheets were always fresh, and there was always a certain aroma of flowers or candles in the air. He looked to his left at the sleeping, dark haired beauty lying next to him. Jess looked so adorable as she slept; her mouth slightly open, and her breathing staggered.

All of a sudden, he felt her leg move from under his. She groaned.  
"Miller, I told you, quit staring at me sleep." she giggled.  
"I'm sorry, Jessica, but you're so damn cute I can't help myself!" he said, pecking her lips softly.  
"Mm, good morning to you too. I gotta hand it to you, Nick, last night was... woo, phenomenal." she winked.

"Okay, first, thank you, I try. Second, please never wink at me again, you look like you're having a seizure!"  
She feigned shock, and continued winking in a crazy way, moving her face closer to his. "It's sexy!" She was so close that he couldn't help but press his lips to hers with so much passion that she fell backwards onto the bed. "Nick, we can't, I'm gonna be late to school..." But then he gave her the classic Nick Miller crooked smile, and she couldn't resist.

"How long do we have until you have to really start getting ready?" asked Nick breathlessly, positioning her on top of him.  
"Like ten minutes..." Jess shifted her body so that Nick was underneath her.  
Nick rolled them over, kissing her neck amorously. "I've satisfied you in less..." he chuckled against her lips.

-Ness-

Schmidt walked through the loft towards the kitchen.  
"Let me think..." he said to himself. "What would she want for breakfast?" He decided that toast was the safest option. As he put the bread in the toaster, he could hear a strange noise coming from somewhere across the apartment. It was like shouting of some sort. He walked further down the hall, and the sounds became more apparent.  
"Nick, yes, Ni-ick!" _What the hell? _Then he realized what was happening. He shuddered at the thought of Nick and Jess bumping uglies in her room. He was still getting used to the new loft dynamic. Running back into the kitchen, he put the radio on in order to drown out their noises.

But then he realized that it was a mistake. The music had probably woken her, damn it! There he was, trying to make his girlfriend breakfast in bed, only for Nick, Jess and their activities to ruin things! He heard his bedroom door open, and desperately tried to find a flower or something pretty to decorate the tray on which the breakfast would have been served.  
"Schmidt...?" he heard her voice from behind him, and turned around to see her. God, she looked beautiful in the morning. The way her half-messy hair framed her bare face gave him this fuzzy feeling, and not only in his penis, but in his heart too.

"Hey, what are you doing up, baby?" he asked, buttering toast.  
"Well, I have work in an hour, so I need breakfast." she said, taking a seat.  
"Cecelia, I was about to bring you some, go back to bed!"  
"That's sweet, but I can't turn up to the studio with bed head and morning breath, Schmidt." she kissed him slowly. "But thank you anyway."

The song on the radio ended, making Nick and Jess's sounds even louder.  
"Well, those two are really going at it, huh?" Cece laughed.  
"It's revolting; they need to stop behaving like animals and go do something productive!" said Schmidt.  
"Are you just upset because this ruins the loft dynamic?"  
"No." he stated. "Well, maybe."

And, with that, there was silence, followed by the opening of a door. Jess and Nick walked out in their sleeping clothes hand in hand into the kitchen.  
"Hey, you two, did you guys have a nice night?" Jess asked, taking a seat next to Cece.  
"Yeah, it was great, the food was amazing." Cece replied. Schmidt, however, remained silent. Cece shot him a 'what are you doing?' look. He shrugged. She sighed.  
"Schmidt, you enjoy your evening?" asked Nick politely.  
Schmidt cleared his throat before mumbling, "Well, we all know you did."  
"What?" Nick inquired.  
"I think my boyfriend is referring to your, um, loud... antics last night. The walls aren't exactly soundproof in this place. Just so you know." giggled Cece.

Nick's face flushed bright red. Jess bit her lip. She was speechless.  
"I, uh..." she began. "Well, uh..."  
"Jess." Cece laughed. "It's fine. I've heard you have sex before. I just think Schmidt here was a little... agitated by it."

There was a slightly awkward silence as Nick and Jess shared a look. In his mind, Nick relived the events of the night before. It was _hot. _Jess had experienced a shitty day at work, and it was his sole duty to cheer her up. As he remembered the look on her face, during and after, he knew he'd succeeded in his mission. He loved making her happy, and not just with sex. A few days ago, she'd been complaining that her dad had been badgering her about their relationship, so Nick took it upon himself to call Bob to talk about it. They'd had a mature conversation, surprisingly. Nick was starting to change, becoming more responsible and mature; Jess was certainly rubbing off on him.

-Ness-

Schmidt and Cece were hogging the bathroom, leaving Nick and Jess alone together in the living room.  
"Hey, Nick..." she whispered, snuggling closer to him.  
"Yeah?"  
"I know we talked about where this relationship was going the other day..."  
"Yeah, I know, I sing Cotton Eyed Joe in my mind every time you say 'where do we go'." he laughed. "Sorry, continue."  
"Well, that's actually what I wanted to ask. Where do we go when we want to take this to the next step? I mean, I've already moved in with you, I live here anyway, so how does that work?"  
"Well, I suppose we could share one room here, or maybe find a place of our own some time..." Jess could sense he was anxious about the whole thing, and reassured him.

"Yeah, I don't mean right now, obviously, but I was just thinking about the future."  
"As much as I'm excited for our future, I'm pretty stoked about where we are right now."  
He flashed her another smile, and they began kissing again. They heard an 'Ugh' from behind them, and realized Schmidt and Cece had returned.  
"Do you guys ever do anything else? Ever heard of tv or having a conversation?" he remarked, stomping back to his room, Cece chuckling behind him.

Jess turned back to Nick, and she out a laugh before they continued kissing. If this is what living together and being a couple entailed, Jess was more than happy about it.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Seeing as I've had such great responses for the first chapter, here's chapter 2! This one will have more of a plot, which I realize chapter 1 lacked, but I just needed to introduce the story. Hope you enjoy, and don't be afraid to review etc.!**

Their first real fight as a couple fell on their one month anniversary. Of course, they'd bickered before; living together meant that Nick and Jess got sick of each other sometimes. For instance, one afternoon, Jess was exhausted from work, and had ripped into Nick simply because he hadn't made the bed like he'd promised. There was also the time where Jess had forgotten to tell Nick that his mother had called, resulting in him making a sarcastic comment that got out of hand. But, nevertheless, these arguments were quickly resolved and couldn't be described as serious fights.

For their one-month anniversary, Nick had thoughtfully booked a table for them at Beso, the restaurant where they'd had their first date. Jess had bought a brand new dress especially for the occasion, and Nick had allowed Schmidt to take him out shopping for the appropriate attire. Jess was just putting the final touches on her make up when Nick entered her room.  
"Hey, Jess, you almost ready to go?" he asked. Jess stopped and stared. He looked _gorgeous. _

"Wow... Nick, you look amazing..." she said, her mouth agape.  
"Uh, you too, I mean, that dress..." She looked _stunning. _"Anyway, shall we?" he said, extending an arm.  
"We shall." she grinned, pecking him on the cheek sweetly.

The drive to the restaurant wasn't long, but Jess felt nervous for some reason. It was as if they were having their first date all over again, and she couldn't stop fidgeting. She told herself to relax, and inhaled and exhaled slowly. It would be fine; it was _Nick, _after all. They walked to the entrance, hand in hand, and Jess felt instantly better.  
"Table for two, under Miller?" Nick told the woman at the reservations desk. They were soon escorted to their table, which just happened to be the same as the last time they were there.  
"Did you plan this, Miller?" asked Jess, smiling.  
"I may have requested this table." he winked.  
"How very romantic of you."

-Ness-

Nick had just finished telling her the funniest story about his childhood as they shared their dessert. _God, he was amazing. _Was it too early to fall in love with him? Of course it was, they'd only been dating for a month. But as Nick awkwardly tried to stab the piece of cheesecake in the most adorable way, Jess began to wonder whether or not it was too early at all.  
"What are you thinking about?" Nick could sense she wasn't concentrating.  
"What, uh, nothing, just thinking about the last time we were here." she attempted to make it sound convincing.  
"Yeah, that was quite a night. I mean, first there was Russell, and then there was the whole thing with the cards... What did you write on that, by the way?"

She was stumped. Jess tried to muster an answer, but no words came to mind.  
"I, uh, I'm not telling you... Those cards were a secret!" she chuckled nervously.  
"Yeah, but we're together now, so it doesn't matter either way..." he said, but there was still no response from Jess.  
"I... I don't want to."  
"Okay, how about I go first?" Nick suggested. _Damn him and his kindness and need to please me. _"Okay, if I remember correctly, I wrote 'Jess is the girl I'd like to spend the rest of my life with, if she wants to' or something like that. God, that sounds cheesy as hell."  
"You... You said that?" she asked, dumfounded.  
"Well, I wrote it, but yeah. Okay, I've embarrassed myself, now it's your turn."

The nerves bubbling inside of Jess suddenly burst as she shouted, "I don't feel comfortable telling you this! Let's just drop it!" and instantly regretted it. Nick stared at her as if she were insane, before clearing his throat to fill the silence.  
"Okay, whatever, we'll forget about it." _What the hell is wrong with her? _She was acting so crotchety that Nick thought he must have done something wrong. Why did she not want to tell him? For the remainder of dinner, they exchanged awkward small talk, before sitting in silence the whole car journey home.

Thankfully, Schmidt was at Cece's that night, and Winston was in some work party; they had the place to themselves. Nick was glad that they could be alone, and not for the reason expected of them, but for him to confront her without anyone else hearing. He dropped the car keys in the pot near the door, before taking his jacket off.  
"Shall, we, uh, go to bed?" Jess suggested.  
"Yeah, but, can we talk first?" asked Nick. Jess nodded.  
"What about?"

"I mean... Well, it's just..." Nick took a deep breath. "WHY WON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU WROTE ON THE CARD?" he screeched.  
"NICK! I thought we weren't talking about that!"  
"Well, I wanna talk about it! What are you afraid of? It can't be worse than mine, unless you talk about having a million babies with me or something! Jess, you're my girlfriend, you can tell me this." He then realized she was crying as he heard a sob escape her lips. "Jess, I'm sorry..."  
"No, it's fine, I'll tell you. I, uh... Please don't be mad. I wrote 'It's a complicated mess that I don't think will end well.' But, Nick, you have to understand..."  
"Oh... So, what, you didn't want this relationship in the first place?" Nick looked offended.  
"No, of course I did, I just thought you would have put down something similar!"

"I see, so you thought I was going to bail on what we had?" his voice grew louder.  
"Well, YOU DID!" she shouted. "You did bail, Nick, you called it, just like everyone thought you would!"  
"If that's how you feel..." Nick looked genuinely hurt.  
"Nick, wait..." Jess began.  
"No, I get it, you don't think I'm in this relationship for the long haul! Even though I told you at dinner that I wanted to basically marry you sometime in the future, that wasn't enough? How does that not show you that I love you, Jess?"

There was a sudden silence. _Had he just said...?  
_"You..." she started.

"Crap. For once, I'm the one who says it too early in the relationship."  
"You love me?" Jess had to make sure he'd actually said it.  
"Well, it doesn't matter, Jess, because you won't believe me either way! And just to prove that I do, in fact, want this relationship to last, I'm willing to work through this and not give up, because I want this! I wish I could say the same thing for you..."

Nick began to walk away. "Can we talk about this now?" she begged.  
"No, I've had enough, I'm sleeping in my room tonight, you sleep where you like." he said coldly. He walked further down the hallway, and was almost at his door. He didn't look at her.

"I love you!" she yelled. He stopped in his tracks.

"Don't say it if you don't mean it, Jess. Please, don't lie."  
"Nick, I was going to tell you tonight, but you kinda beat me to it. I love you, Miller. I know this doesn't excuse the fact that I wrote something untrue on the card... I just didn't want to write the truth because I thought I'd get hurt in the long run."  
He walked back to her. "So, what was the truth? What should you have written?" He whispered. It was just like their first date, whispering softly to each other in the hallway, tension filling the air.

"I should've written... 'Nick Miller is one crazy guy, but I want to be with him for a really long time.' And that's the truth." she said softly. He moved closer so that their faces were inches apart.  
"I'm sorry we fought." he whispered, and she could feel his breath against her lips.  
"I'm sorry too. Maybe I could make it up to you."

And with that, she pressed her lips roughly against his, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "We still have to talk tomorrow, okay?" he said in between kisses.  
"Yeah, totally." she agreed. He pressed her against his bedroom door, kissing her neck. They then burst through the door, removing items of clothing frantically as they approached the bed.  
"Nick, did you put fresh sheets on your bed?" Jess was impressed. Nick nodded proudly.

After a satisfaction-filled evening, Jess and Nick fell back down, their heads hitting the pillows.  
"Goodnight, Miller." she whispered.  
"Goodnight, Day."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hi guys, apologies for the wait, I was laptop-less for like a week. This is Chapter 3 of 'Where Do We Go?', full of Ness feels, and I hope you enjoy it. It's rated M, definitely.  
**

For three months now, Jess and Nick had been coping with living together as girlfriend and boyfriend. Nick learned that he should still knock before entering her room; he saw things he would never erase from his mind. Jess learned to never make Nick breakfast in bed; he really did ruin her sheets by spilling orange juice. Despite the problems that had arisen, the two were adjusting to their new circumstances, and had been comfortable around each other for some time.

Nick had snuck through the door of the apartment at two in the morning, having been working late in the bar that night. He tried to quietly close the door behind him, before creeping over to his bedroom door. He figured Jess wouldn't appreciate him waking her up from her sleep in her room, so he'd be crashing in his for the night. What he hadn't accounted for was Jess being asleep in his room. Opening the door, he saw her curled up in his covers, one leg sticking out, dangling off the bed. To make matters even worse (or better, depending how you looked at it), she was completely naked. Still, no matter how bad he wanted to, he didn't wake her. Nick took a blanket from the cupboard and lay down next to her. God, she was beautiful.

A few moments later, he heard a groan from the woman beside him.  
"Shit." he muttered to himself. Jess turned to face him.  
"Wow, when did you get here?" she said, all tired and groggy.  
"Uh, about five minutes ago. Didn't wanna wake you, sorry." Nick whispered softly.  
"Well, I'm awake now. You tired, Miller?"  
"Funnily enough, not at all." he winked.

Nick was wearing only wearing boxers, but was overdressed in comparison to his beautiful girlfriend, which she noticed. Quick as a flash, she grabbed his underwear and tugged it down briskly, grinning. She was about to straddle him, before she was interrupted.  
"No, let me..." Nick grabbed a condom from the dresser before gesturing for Jess to wrap her legs around his waist. Picking her up, he carried her over to the wall. He slammed into her, evoking low moans from Jess and she held onto his shoulders. She met his lips in a hot embrace, and they kissed passionately and fiercely. He continued thrusting in and out of her before he heard her whisper.

"Nick," she was out of breath. "Desk."  
"What?" he asked, still moving with her.  
"Desk." she said, more definite this time.

He picked her up again, exiting her, before placing her on the desk, sitting up. He spread her legs apart and used his fingers to pleasure her, trailing hot kisses up and down her neck. Just as he felt she was close, he removed his fingers. Jess winced. He knew how to tease her.

"Nick, I need you." she said, pulling him closer. With that, he pounded into her again, her legs finding their way back to his waist as to increase their pleasure. Her nails dug into his shoulders, which, oddly, really turned him on.  
"Jess..." Nick's voice was hoarse and deep as he moaned. Finally, moments later, he decided to move them back to the bed, and lay her down onto it. Grabbing the headboard for balance and more control, he thrust in and out of her swiftly and soon, they both finished.

"Nick, I've never seen you so... masterful and in control." said Jess, throwing her head back.  
"Well, you just bring out that side in me," he said. "Okay, we should get some sleep because you've tired me out, Jessica."  
"Okay. Love you." said Jess, pecking his lips.  
"Love you too. Night."

-Ness-

It was 8 a.m when Jess heard the non-stop knocking on their apartment door.  
"What the...?" Jess grabbed her glasses, put on one of Nick's shirts and ran to the door. Cece stood outside their apartment, an enormous grin on her face.  
"Cece, what are you-" Jess began.  
Cece threw her left hand in front of her best friend's face, which was decorated with a diamond ring on her finger. "Schmidt proposed!" she yelled with glee. Jess screamed happily before grabbing Cece into a hug.  
"Oh my gosh, when?" she asked.  
"Last night, at dinner, when we were leaving, the waiter told him he'd dropped something, and he was all 'Oh, thank you so much kind sir', and... it was a little box." Cece smiled again.  
"I'm so happy for you! Wow, three months in and you're already engaged?" Jess was still in shock.  
"Well, we both knew that it was what we wanted, so... Yay!"

At that moment, a sleepy Nick entered the living room.  
"What the fu-" he began.  
"CECE AND SCHMIDT ARE ENGAGED!" said Jess, wide-eyed.  
"What? Are you kidding, that's awesome!" laughed Nick, giving Cece a hug. "Where is he?"  
"He's in work, but I thought you guys should know..." said Cece.  
"Wow, engaged at three months, huh?" Nick stated, looking afraid.  
"That's what I said," said Jess, shooting him a look. "But they're happy and in love and everything, right, Cece?"

Cece nodded. Nick cleared his throat before murmuring something about having to shower, but Jess wouldn't let him get away that easy. Excusing herself from Cece's company, she followed her boyfriend back into his room.

"Nick, what was that?" she asked.  
"What was what, I wasn't suspicious or anything, gosh, uh-" he mumbled.  
"Yes, you were, you almost freaked out! Is it Schmidt, are you upset that he'll probably move out, or what?" she said softly, stroking his arm.  
"No, it's nothing. It doesn't matter."  
"It's clearly bothering you, so... Wait, you don't think this means I'm expecting a proposal, right?"  
Nick said nothing. "Nick, I like how things are right now, I'm not expecting a deeper commitment or whatever. So, can you stop worrying about this now?"

Nick gulped, but looked down and remained silent. Jess was worried now. "Nick?" she almost whispered. "What is it?" She had never seen him so worried and down.  
"It, uh, just made me think about... stuff. Like, that's not going to happen for us." he said quietly.  
"Nick... are you trying to say you never want us to get engaged?" Jess's voice was starting to break.  
"No, no, no, gosh, no. Jessica, I want all that stuff with you. I just don't think it's possible."  
"Why?" Jess was visibly upset. "Nick, what are you not telling me?"

There was a silence, before Nick looked up at Jess, his eyes moist. "There's something wrong with me, Jess."

**AN: CLIFFHANGER! Please review, follow, favorite, etc.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: THANK YOU! Your response to this story has been awesome, so as a reward, here's Chapter 4. There's swearing, just to warn you. This story is taking a dramatic, angsty turn, so just be prepared for that too. Hope you enjoy, and please give me some feedback so I know how you guys feel! **

Nick hand his head whilst Jess stared at him in shock.  
"What do mean, something's wrong with you?" Jess's voice was hoarse and quiet. "Nick, there is nothing wrong with you, you're amazing! You're caring and funny and surprisingly sweet..."  
"I didn't mean it that way, Jess." said Nick sadly.  
"Well... W-what did you mean?" Jess was afraid of his answer.  
Nick remained silent for a few moments in order to gain the courage he needed. "I, uh... Jess this is pretty hard to say... Fuck..."  
Jess placed a hand on his shoulder lovingly. "You can tell me." Her eyes were wide and moist with tears. She was worried.

"A couple days ago, I... I found... I felt like... This lump. O-on my neck, like in my throat. I think it's my thyroid again, Jess. There's something wrong with me, isn't there?" Nick's eyes soon filled with tears.  
Jess pulled him in quickly, holding him close. She began to cry, but placed his head against her shoulder, stroking his hair softly. "Nick, you're going to be fine, it's all going to be fine, it'll be fine. Fine."  
Nick pulled away. "But what if it's not, Jess?" his voice broke. "What if I'm going to fucking die? What if I die tomorrow? I would've lived the shittiest life ever, and that would be it!" he yelled.  
"Nick, no-"

"Jess, you don't get it! I'm gonna die! I'll never get to do anything I wanted to! I'm never going to marry you, Jessica, I'm never going to have kids with you! You know how fucking awful that is? It kills me, Jess! I'm not going to grow old with you and be a grumpy old grandpa! I'm going to die in my thirties, and I don't want to do that Jess! I can't bear to think of you having a family without me! I know that's really fucking selfish, but Jess, I LOVE YOU AND I DON'T WANNA DIE! " he stopped shouting and suddenly his voice was quiet and upset. "I don't wanna die." he sobbed.

"Nick, look at me, we are going to get through this..." a tear trickled down her cheek. "You hear me, Miller? We're going to have all the stuff we want, okay? And we're going to be old fogies together and be really angry old people..." she let out a sob. "I love you. I love you so much."  
For the rest of the night, they lay on the bed in each other's arms, neither sleeping. Instead, they watched each other's breathing patterns and observed every detail of one another's faces. They didn't speak. There were no words to convey exactly what they wanted to say.

-Ness-

The morning after, Jess had scheduled a doctor's appointment for Nick. They had decided not to tell Nick or Winston until they were sure. At eleven o'clock, Nick's name was called.  
"Want me to come with you?" Jess asked, the bags under her eyes conveying her lack of sleep.  
"No, I'll be fine. You stay here." Nick tried to act calm as he left his girlfriend out in the waiting room. He dragged his feet along the hard floor as he walked to the doctor's office. This would be hard, but whether it was good news or bad, he knew he would have the support of those closest to him.

About twenty minutes or so later, Nick returned from the doctor's. Jess was unable to read his expression as he walked towards her.  
"What did he say?" she almost whispered, the fear evident in her voice.  
"Uh, I have nothing to worry about, it was just like last time." he smiled.  
"So... you're okay?" Jess exclaimed.  
"I'm okay!" Nick's voice was tired but seemed to express his relief. Jess planted a kiss that was so passionate Nick thought his brain would explode. It didn't matter that they were in public; Jess was ecstatic that she would be able to live her life with Nick Miller.

"God, I love you, Nick Miller."  
"I love you too, Jessica Day. Now, how about we go home, get kind of wasted and make out in front of the guys to annoy them?"  
"You certainly know how to charm a woman Nicholas. What if they're not home?" Jess asked.  
"Even better, we can have couch sex." Nick chuckled.  
"You're a genius." She pecked his lips again before they vacated the building.

In the car, a sudden realization hit Jess. "So, if it's not cancer... What is it?" she wondered.  
Nick cleared his throat. "You know what, I'm not sure, he said a lot of words. But it ain't dangerous, and that's all that matters. Don't worry, Jess, I'm going to be fine. Okay?"  
"Okay." Nick could sense she was still worried; he placed a reassuring hand on top of hers before shooting her a Nick Miller smile. "Are you okay though, I mean, emotionally? Are you like shaken or anything? Can I do something to-"

"Jess, all I want is to go home, get my drink on, get my freak on and watch one of your crappy movies. Think you can help me do that? That's all I need."  
"Of course. Which movie?"  
"Anything but Grease. I've had Summer Nights stuck in my head for weeks because of your constant singing." he chuckled.

-Ness-

"I've haaad the time of my li-i-ife!" Jess sand loudly. "And I owe it all to YOOOOU!" She pointed at Nick, who was laughing. "I owe it all to YOOU, NICK MILLER!" she giggled.  
"I should've remembered to exclude Dirty Dancing from our movie day, damn it! Jess, how much have you even had to drink?" Nick was clutching a bottle of pink wine he'd acquired from Jess's secret stash.  
"Not that muuuuch, like two glasses maybe! I'm fine, Nicky, I'm good, baby! Woooo!" Jess was always hilarious when drunk."You must be wasted; you just called me Nicky! Only my mother calls me that!" Nick, on the other hand hadn't been drinking; he had Jess to look after.

The door to the apartment opened, displaying a tired-looking Schmidt.  
"Really? _Really? _ I just finished a ten hour shift, and here you clowns are, getting drunk!" Schmidt complained.  
Nick giggled. "Hey, Jess, come here, come here!" He puckered his lips and made sure Schmidt could see them kissing. They made funny moaning noises as they leaned back on the couch and kissed, their mouths practically attacking each other.  
"Mmm, Nick, don't stop!" Jess teased in an over-the-top way. It was clear that their kissing was annoying Schmidt, as he huffed, before leaving to sulk in his room. As his door slammed shut, Jess and Nick broke apart, laughing.

"You're awesome." Nick said, staring into Jess's eyes.  
"And yooou are a beautiful white man, Nick Miller."  
"Not the first time you've told me that, but thanks." Nick exhaled. Jess was perfect and so supportive. "I, uh, I'll be right back. Stay there."

He walked to the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind him. Nick stared at himself in the mirror for a few seconds before turning on the cold water. Cupping his hands, he collected the water before splashing it on his face. He shuddered slightly before running a hand across his forehead. Nick breathed out and in calmly. It had been a long, confusing day; he was exhausted. But, for Jess's sake, he had to just not let it bother him. He had to support her like she supported him. He had a plan; it was time to put it into action.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hi, guys! So, after the last chapter, many of you were excited about my cryptic ending, which I thank you for! If you weren't quite sure, this chapter will give you a definite answer and clear things up for you. This chapter is again set about a month or so after the last. Hope you enjoy! **

The first part of Nick's plan was easier said than done: making sure Jess didn't find out. He had to ensure that she was kept in the dark; she had to remain blissfully unaware. He would give her excuses as to where he was going; sometimes stating he had to 'pop into work', lying to her face. Today was one of those days. He didn't understand why it had taken him so many visits to this building in order to do what needed to be done. Every time he walked up to the door, his courage would somehow vanish and he'd end up walking away. But today was different. Today, he had summoned the bravery from _somewhere_. Today, he walked through the door.

As soon as he'd entered the building, he felt more confident about what he was doing. His palms were sweating a little, but not too much. He was contemplating leaving again when a young woman asked him a question.  
"Hi, can I help you with anything today?" she smiled. From her nametag, Nick figured that her name was Trisha.  
"Uh, yeah, I'm looking for uh, a, well..." he stuttered.  
"Let me guess, engagement ring?" she asked. Nick nodded. "Well, you've come to the right jewelers, we just got a new batch of beautiful rings in yesterday. Any idea as to which type of ring you were wanting?"  
Nick ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Well, uh, something that my girlfriend won't want to stop staring at, but nothing too flashy. Sophisticated, too, I guess. I just really want her to love it."

He spent an hour and a half before picking a beautiful ring. It was diamond, and not too big as to be distracting, but big enough to be visible. And, after saving up, Nick could actually afford it after doing overtime at work. He hoped Jess would love it. He was planning on proposing after Cece's wedding, which was in a month and a half. Schmidt had agreed that there was no point in waiting, and Cece was thrilled. Nick just had to keep this a secret for a few more weeks. He felt weird about lying to her and keeping secrets, but he knew she'd appreciate it in the long run.

Speaking of keeping secrets, Nick remembered that he had one other stop to make that day. Putting the ring safely in his pocket, he parked his car outside the hospital. He had been going there every week for the last month or so, and dreaded every visit. After waiting for 15 minutes outside, he entered the doctor's office.

"Ah, Nick, good to see you." said Doctor Smith, whom had been meeting with Nick regularly.  
"Yeah. You too. Listen, is there a reason you want me coming in all the time or-" Nick began. "Nick, you need to realize that this is very serious. I urge you to stop denying that this is happening and _tell people. _I called you in today to do a few more tests." He sighed. "Nick, you have Stage 1 Follicular Thyroid Cancer at the moment."  
"Doc, I know what's wrong with me, you don't have to tell me again."  
"Okay, but I just want you to know, if you accepted the radioiodine treatment, followed by thyroidectomy, you would have a great survival rate. Your 10-year survival rate is around 85%, and though that sounds promising, you could live a much longer life if you were treated."

There was a pause. Nick lowered his head. He knew he wouldn't live to be old, and that was why he had to marry Jess in the next few years; he couldn't die without doing that.  
"Okay, so if I did have this treatment or whatever, how good of a chance would I have of surviving?" he breathed.  
"An extremely good chance. The mortality rate is essentially 0%, unless under unusual circumstances. I'd like for you to visit..." he scribbled a note on the piece of paper. "This counselor at least once a week. I'll book you an appointment and let you know. If you won't talk to your loved ones, at least you can talk to someone."  
Nick nodded. He felt awful about the whole thing.

After returning from the hospital, Nick had taken a nap. Jess and Cece had gone wedding shopping, so he was alone. He woke up at 7p.m to the sound of the front door closing.  
"Nick, where are you?" Jess called.  
Nick groaned. "In your room!"  
She came rushing in, an excited look on her face. Jess kissed him passionately before almost screaming.  
"GUESS WHAT?"  
"What?" Nick chuckled.  
"Cece and Schmidt are getting married!"  
"Yeah, I know that, sweetie-"  
"No, they're getting married TOMORROW!"  
"Wait, what?" Nick was stunned.

"Yeah, well, they just wanted a quiet ceremony, it's going to be at this secluded private beach owned by someone Schmidt knows! It's just the two of them, you, me, Winston, and their parents, that's it!" Jess squeaked.  
"Wait, Schmidt is getting married on a beach? What about the hygiene risks?" Nick asked.  
"I know, he was cool with it! I think Cece really mellowed him out!"  
"But they've been engaged for a month and a half! They've only been back together for like five months! That's crazy!"  
"I know, but when you know you love someone, I guess you know." smiled Jess.  
"Yeah, you really do." Nick grinned.

-Ness-

"_Do you, Cecelia Parekh take James Schmidt to be your lawfully wedded husband?"  
_Jess snapped out of her thoughts as she stared at Cece in her beautiful dress.  
"James?" she whispered to Nick, who looked dashing, sat beside her. "Schmidt's first name is James? How boring! I was expecting like... Eli, or maybe even Reuben!"  
Nick chuckled. "Nope, just James! Now, sh, the good part's coming!"

"_I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."  
_In a truly cheesy fashion, Schmidt dipped his new wife, before kissing her lovingly. "I love you, Ceec." he said.  
"I love you too, _Jim." _laughed Cece.  
"Hey, it's Schmidt! Not James, not Jamie, not Jimminy Cricket; SCHMIDT!" he laughed, leaning his forehead on hers.

As they walked down the aisle, Nick noticed tears forming in his girlfriend's eyes.  
"You okay, Jess?" he asked.  
"Uh, yeah." Jess wiped away a tear. "I'm just so happy for her, you know? She got her dream beach wedding, her dream guy... I'm a little overwhelmed for her, I guess."  
Nick placed a loving hand on the small of her back. "C'mon, I hope there's a bar at the reception. I could use a drink."

Although the wedding was small and intimate, the reception was the complete opposite. The venue was very close to the beach, and was part of Schmidt's friend's resort. There were at least one hundred people there, and it was clear that if the beach had been Cece's dream wedding, this was Schmidt's dream reception. Nick leaned across the table to speak with his newly married best friend.

"Schmidtty, how did you arrange all this at such short notice? I mean, that ice sculpture that shoots liquor is awesome!"  
"I know a guy." Schmidt winked.

After the first dance, which was to In My Veins, and the speeches, Nick and Jess danced happily to a slow song.  
"I love you, Nick Miller." said Jess calmly.  
"I love you more." giggled Nick.  
"Not possible." she whispered. Nick kissed her forehead gently, and suddenly a though struck him.  
"Hey, Jess, d'you wanna go out to the beach for a stroll?"  
"Sure, that'd be lovely."

Nick took Jess's hand and guided her along the beach, where they sat down on the sand. It was a perfect romantic setting; the moon provided them with a gorgeous light, the waves creating soothing sounds. It reminded him of the last time they were on a beach together: after his last cancer scare. When he'd woken up next to her, he was filled with happiness, as if it was meant to be. As if reading his thoughts, Jess made a remark.

"Remember when we were on a beach together last? That was a great night. I liked waking up next to you." Jess smiled.  
"Yeah, me too." It was in that very moment that Nick realized what he had to do. He'd planned on waiting for a few weeks or a couple of months, but then decided he couldn't. He simply couldn't.  
He inhaled and exhaled calmly, before taking Jess's hands in his.  
"Nick, what are you-" she began.

"Jessica, there's something I need to say, and I just need you to let me say it. You're beautiful. You are, you're the most beautiful individual I've ever met. Not just because you're so pretty, but also because you're such a good person. You have such a good heart, and you inspire me to want to do something with my life. I love you, and I think I have done since I first laid eyes on ya, and that's the god honest truth. I wasn't gonna do this, but there was something about the way you looked at me just now that gave me the courage. I've been acting a little suspicious for the last few weeks, and it's time you knew why." he fumbled with his jacket uncomfortably. He stood up, pulling her up to stand with his hands. "Before I say what I'm gonna say next, I just have one thing to do, just in case you react differently to how I want you to."

And with that, he pulled her in for a kiss, almost shivering from the amount of affection he felt, along with the intensity of the moment. Reluctantly, he pulled away and took a breath. _Okay, Miller, here goes.  
_Slowly, he reached into his jacket pocket and took out the velvet box. Jess's eyes opened wide.  
"Jessica Day, I know we haven't been dating for long, but I love you." He slowly began to kneel before her, still shaking.  
"Jess, will you marry me?"

**AN: Aaaaaah! Please review, favorite, etc!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Hi, guys! Sorry this chapter is late, I had planned to post it last week but a lot of stuff happened. Anyway, this may be the first of two chapters this week as I'm going on a 2-week holiday on Sunday! So, look out for that extra chapter sometime this week. Hope you enjoy, here's chapter 6. **

"_Jess, will you marry me?" _ She couldn't process what Nick had just asked her. Was Jess dreaming? Was this actually happening? No, it couldn't be; this was Nick Miller, infamous for his fear of commitment. It must be the drink taking its toll on her. She blinked a few times, but he was still there, kneeling at her feet. _Oh, my god. _He looked up at her expectantly.

"Are... Are you _insane?"_ she yelled. With that, his smile dropped and he began to look like a puppy that had just been kicked by his owner. "Wait, Nick, I'm not saying no..."  
Nick's voice was quiet and husky. "So, what are you saying?"  
"We've been dating for just over three months. That's all. I didn't think you'd want to move this fast, Nick..." Jess began.  
"But, I do! That's the thing; I've never wanted to move this fast with anyone before. Even with Caroline, I never wanted to. I love you, Jess..."  
"I know, and I love you too. But, are you thinking clearly? Is it just the romance of being at a wedding that's affecting your decision?"  
"No. I knew from the moment I met ya that you were gonna be important to me. I never dreamed it would be in this way, but I am so glad. And it's not like if you say yes, we get married tomorrow... We can just be engaged for a while..."

There was a pause. Jess looked anxious. Nick, who was still kneeling, stared into her eyes hopefully.  
"Nicholas..." she whispered, clearly torn. He rose, holding her hand in his. "I guess if you want my answer now, it would have to be..."  
"Ssh, it's okay. You don't have to answer me now. You can take some time to decide what you want." he smiled. "And, whatever you decide, I'm gonna keep on loving you no matter what. Okay?"  
"Okay." she nodded.

Subtly shoving the ring back in his pocket, he placed one hand on her cheek tenderly, sliding another to the crook of her neck. "I love you." whispered Jess against his lips. But before he could respond, she pressed her lips against his in a passionate embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. For a moment, she forgot where they were and what had just happened. All she could think about was how much she adored the man she was currently kissing. That, and how good of a kisser he was. It was getting dark, and as they broke free from the kiss, Jess uttered a few words to her boyfriend lovingly. "Nick Miller, take me home."

Nick and Jess crashed through the door of 4D, pulling and tugging at each other's jackets lustfully. Nick slammed the door behind them, trying to ignore the voice at the back of his mind that was currently taunting him. _She's gonna say no... She doesn't love you... You're gonna die alone... She's too good for you...  
_Suddenly, in the middle of their embrace, Nick started to panic. He pulled away from Jess, turning away from her.  
"Nick...?" she called, but he said nothing. Jess walked towards him, placing a loving hand on his shoulder. He moved away.  
"Jess, d'you mind if we don't... tonight? I mean, I feel a little tired and weird after... y'know. I feel like I just need to sleep." he admitted.  
Jess was slightly offended, but understood. "Okay, sure. I have a new episode to watch on the DVR, so I'll catch you up later." She went to kiss him, but decided against it. Instead, she gently hugged him. "Goodnight." she said.  
"Night, Jess."

Nick lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He knew she wouldn't be sleeping in his bed tonight. She'd understood that he needed a little space to come to terms with the events of the night. He could faintly hear the episode of that comedy show she liked playing in the living room. Usually, she would laugh the whole way through the episode, but he couldn't hear her tonight. As he closed his eyes, he hoped the pain of not knowing would hurt significantly less tomorrow.

-Ness-

When Nick awoke, for a second he'd forgotten about his disastrous proposal the night before. And then it hit him. Hard. He slammed his head against the pillow, sighing. But then, he heard singing somewhere in the distance. _Jess. _Sure, she'd made him feel pretty crappy for not accepting his proposal yet, but what Nick was doing was much worse. He was _lying to her, _keeping up the pretence that he was completely healthy. He knew he had to tell her someday; today was not that day.  
As the singing of Cotton Eyed Joe got slightly louder, Nick smiled. He couldn't avoid her for any longer, and practically ran into the kitchen. There she was; her back facing him, cooking breakfast.

"Where did we come froooooooom, Cotton Eyed Joooooe..." she sang in a weird Southern drawl. Nick couldn't help but let out a chuckle. She turned around quickly.  
"Oh, Nick, you scared me. I was just about to bring you breakfast." she said cheerily.  
"You didn't have to do that..." said Nick, wrapping his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. The night before, he couldn't touch her, but today, he needed to. He needed her comfort. He placed a kiss on her neck and she turned around to plant one on his lips quickly, before walking away with the breakfast.

"Jess, where are you going?" Nick asked.  
"Roof."

Finally, they were able to have their romantic breakfast. As Nick tucked into his eggs, he noticed Jess staring at him.  
"What? Do I have egg on my face or something?" he asked.  
Jess didn't respond, but instead smiled. After a few more seconds, she spoke. "Yes."  
Nick started wiping his lips. "Where? Is it on my cheek or my chin? Help me out with this, woman!" he laughed.  
"No, that's not what I meant-"

"So, what did you..." With that, Nick realized what she had meant. Tears reluctantly began to form in his eyes. "Yes?" he repeated."I decided last night, after you'd gone to bed. Yes, Nick Miller, I will marry you."  
"Are you serious?" he half laughed.  
"Yes!"  
"Oh, my god, I love you!" he grabbed her from the other side of the table and kissed her.  
Jess laughed against him. "I love you, too, you clown."

Nick giggled, before a sudden look of realization flashed across his face. He took her hand and pulled her back down the stairs. "Wait here." he said, as she stood in the living room. He disappeared into his room, before returning a few moments later with that little velvet box.  
"Would you like me to do the honours?" said Nick, grinning. Jess nodded. He slipped the ring onto her finger, and she let out a squeal.  
"Nick, it's a perfect fit! And it's gorgeous; how did you know that I'd like this?" she exclaimed.  
"I just figured you would." They embraced again, and Nick felt overwhelmed. She had made her decision, and now it was time for him to make his. Just as he was about to speak, Winston entered the loft.

"What the hell happened here?" he cried.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hi guys, so this will be the last chapter for a while, as I'm going on holidays for 2 weeks! Expect Chapter 8 in just over two weeks, but if you're following me/the story, you'll know when it's uploaded. So, here's Chapter 7, watch out for the smut, and don't be afraid to review etc.**

Winston stood in the doorway of 4D, his face full of shock, waiting for a reply to his question. Nick and Jess, however, were still caught in an embrace of sorts, her arms around his neck, his arms around her waist. Suddenly, as he caught a glimpse of Jess's left hand, his expression turned to utter joy.  
"ARE YOU GUYS...? NICK, DID YOU...? Oh my god, I can't breathe, this is so exciting!" he exclaimed. Jess laughed. Nick tried to calm  
him down.  
"Yeah, Winston, we're engaged, but you need to stop or you'll pass out! I know you like weddings, but-"  
"_Like _weddings? Oh, no, Nicholas, I _adore _weddings! When did this happen?" Winston practically jumped up and down with glee.

Jess took Nick's hand as she walked towards Winston. "Well, Nick proposed last night at the wedding, but I said yes about one minute ago exactly." she chuckled. Looking over at Nick, she was overcome with a feeling of love and happiness towards him. From the look in his eyes, she could tell he felt the same.  
"Winston, maybe you should go and tell Daisy? She'd probably be excited to know, right?" said Nick, and Jess could tell he was trying to get rid of his roommate.  
"Dude, you're right! I'll see you two lovebirds later!" said Winston, and with that, he rushed out the door, slamming it behind him, a smile still slapped on his face.

"I like your technique, Miller." Jess teased.  
"What d'you mean?" replied Nick, feigning innocence.  
"Getting rid of Winston so you can... have your way with me."  
"Actually Jess, I was about to tell you-" he began.

"Don't worry, we have plenty of time to talk later. But, I'd like to continue what we were doing prior to our... interruption." she winked. _How could he resist that? _Nick's body and need to touch her took over his mind, and he decided that he'd tell her later. Right now, he needed to just have hot, passionate sex with his fiancée. _Ooh, fiancée, didn't that sound good? _He'd never had a fiancée before, and he was so glad Jess would be the first and the last he'd have. He knew he was just procrastinating, pushing his condition further back into his mind. But, if he were to distract himself with anything, this was one hell of a way to do so.

Nick picked her up, holding her just above him, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. Jess made a half-shriek, half-giggle before attacking Nick's neck with her lips.  
"Your room or mine?" he said breathlessly.  
"No time." said Jess, in between kisses. "Couch." _Couch? _Nick hoped Winston would be staying in Daisy's for a while; he couldn't handle another interruption. Jess began to tug at Nick's pants as he pulled her lips to his, sucking and nipping at them in a frenzy. He unbuttoned her shirt and flung it to the floor as she breathed hot air into his ear. Soon, they were both naked, kissing each other like they hadn't kissed in years.  
"Jess, I gotta get a co-" Nick panted.  
"It's okay, I got it covered, I'm on the pill now." she breathed.

Nick shrugged, before continuing to kiss her. She took his hard member in her hands and began to gently stroke it. Nick moved his lips to her neck, sucking on it vigorously, groaning at her touch. He moved his hand to her breast, eliciting a moan from Jess. After a while, they decided not to wait any longer. Jess lay back on the couch, Nick hovering above her, putting his weight on his elbows. After one last kiss, he slammed into her. He could tell she was pleased from the sounds she was making, and soon they found each other's lips and began to frantically kiss again. It was fast, energetic; they were in their own little bubble. Jess raised her hips in order to grant him further access, Nick grunting with every thrust. Their sweaty bodies were sticky against the leather couch, but they didn't care.

"Nick I... This is.." Jess breathed.  
"I know... You're just..." Both were speechless. They pressed their chests close together, practically feeling each other's hearts beating quickly. Suddenly, with a power that seemed to come from nowhere, Nick pushed into her, and seeing her bite her lip, trying to resist climax almost sent him over the edge. In one swift movement, Jess sat up, Nick following her, and they wrapped each other's legs around them, still moving as one. Within minutes, they collapsed back onto the couch out of exhaustion and pure pleasure, both breathing heavily.  
"Wow." they said simultaneously.

-Ness-

After cleaning the couch (and themselves), Jess lay on her bed, watching YouTube videos. Nick however, was in the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror, studying himself. _Look at you, you idiot. You're engaged to the girl of your dreams, and you're going to fuck it all up because of a stupid lie. Okay, maybe it's a pretty serious lie. Oh, God, she's gonna break up with me. _Shaking his head, he inhaled and exhaled. This was it: make or break. He was going to tell the love of his life that he had... cancer; that he'd lied to her about being perfectly fine. She'd probably cry, and leave him. She would move out, find someone she loved more than him, get married and have adorable kids; leaving Nick to die alone. Nevertheless, he had to tell her; she needed to know.

Wiping his sweaty palms on his shirt, he walked to her room. She looked perfect, dressed in one of his flannel shirts, her hair up in waves falling around her face. He took another breath.  
"Jess." he almost whispered.  
"Hey, Nick, I was watching this video where the bride and groom's first dance was the Cha Cha Slide! Isn't that cool?" she gleamed.  
"Yeah, but, Jess-" he tried to get through to her.  
"Not that I'd want for us to do that, I mean, I'd prefer a nice, slow song-"

"JESSICA!" he yelled. Her big, blue eyes stared up at him, a little scared. "Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to shout."  
"Nick, what's wrong?" Jess almost shivered from the fear. She hadn't seen him like this since the night he told her about his cancer scare. But he was fine, wasn't he?

"I need to tell you something. And, it's not going to be easy, and you're not going to like it, but you need to know. Oh, crap, I can't do this..." he dropped his head.  
"Nick, you can tell me anything."  
"Jess, you're going to be mad. You say you won't be angry, but if you knew what I was about to tell you, you'd probably walk out right now. You would leave me, and you know what? You probably still will. But, I can't keep lying to you. I can't keep denying this."

"Jess, I lied to you about what the doctor said..." he said. "No..." Jess couldn't believe it. "You're joking... This isn't happening... You wouldn't-"  
"Jess, I have cancer." Nick gulped. The room was so silent, you could hear a pin drop.

**AN: I'm sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger, but I'm all about the drama! Chapter 8 is coming in approximately two and a half weeks, and it may also be extra long! Thanks for the support, let me know what you thought!**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: HI! So, you guys have been waiting patiently for this chapter, for which I thank you! Hope your summer's going great so far, my holiday was great for me to just take a break from this. But, now I'm back with Chapter 8 and not going anywhere. Get your tissues out. Just in case.**

_Cancer. Cancer. Nick had... Cancer. _The word slashed through Jess like a sword. She didn't understand. Everything had been fine; he'd gotten checked out, and was fine. Wasn't he? She sat on the bed, her eyes wide, swallowing slowly, unable to speak. He had lied to her. They were engaged, and he had lied to his fiancée. _It was all a big lie. _

Nick ran a hand through his hair in anguish. He was so angry with himself. He was furious with himself for messing this up with the love of his life. He couldn't think of anything to say. Before he had a chance, Jess beat him to it.  
"I... I can't do this... I need to get some air." Tears ran down her soft cheeks as she got up to leave.  
"Jessica, please-" he tried to stop her.

"DON'T." she breathed. "Don't touch me." She carried on walking. He could hear the soft sound of her footsteps walking away, but put his head in his hands. He couldn't watch her leave him. Nick heard the door slam shut and let out a painful scream. He kicked over the chair by his dresser, but the pain he felt whilst doing so was nothing compared to the pain he felt over Jess. He needed to make this right somehow. This wasn't just some argument that would go away. He'd deceived her for weeks, and that wasn't something Jess would ever forget.

-Ness-

It had been four hours since Nick had told her, and Jess still hadn't returned. Nick was meant to be going to work, but had called in sick. He couldn't let her leave without trying to explain why he lied. He was lying on his bed when he heard it. The quiet click of the door opening was music to his ears. He could hear footsteps walking towards him, but then away from him. Jess was in her room. Taking a breath, Nick opened the door to his bedroom, wiping away his tears. "Suck it up, Miller." he whispered under his breath.

He opened the door to her bedroom, and what he saw devastated him. Jess knelt on the floor, frantically throwing piles of her clothing into a bag. It was as if someone had just twisted a knife into his heart. _No.  
_"Jess, please..." he walked to her, pleading. She ignored him, and carried on packing. Nick placed a hand on her shoulder. Jess shrugged it off, and as she turned his face towards him for a second, he noticed it was puffy and red. He hated seeing her like this. Nick had to do something. He dragged the bag of clothing towards him, and began unpacking. Jess looked up and gave him a look of disgust.

"Give me my clothes." she ordered, almost shaking with anger. But she was vulnerable; tears still escaped from her eyes as she spoke.  
"Not until we talk about this, Jess." he gulped.  
"Fine." she said, getting up from the floor. "You want to talk? Let's talk! Let's talk about how you lied to me, Nicholas, is that what you want?" she yelled.  
"Jessica-"

"NO! Do NOT 'Jessica' me, it is my time to talk. You... You let me fall in love with you, whilst you lied and deceived me for weeks, Nick! YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE OKAY. YOU SAID YOU WERE PERFECTLY HEALTHY. How could you do this to me?" Her voice shook.  
"Please, let me explain-"  
"NO. No, you can't just explain your way out of this, you fucking can't! Let me just tell you exactly what you did. Not only did you keep the truth from me, but you _broke my heart! _I thought we could trust one another, but that's clearly not the case, is it? You have c-cancer, Nick... That's not something you keep from someone you love. Or did you lie about that too? Do you even love me, or IS THAT JUST ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR STUPID LIES?" Lifelessly, she fell onto the bed, sitting up. She began to weep into her hands, her whole body shaking.

Nick decided to sit next to her. Maybe it wasn't the wisest decision, but he needed to make sure she knew he loved her.  
"Jess... I don't know why I didn't tell you... I guess I thought I could figure it out myself. I'm a fucking idiot, I know that. But... I love you so much; so much that I was afraid to hurt you, or to lose you. I guess a part of me was terrified that you wouldn't want to be with a guy who had..." The words hung in the air.  
Jess raised her head. "I just don't get why you would think that... You know I love you." There was a pause. "You know that, right?"  
"Of course I do, Jess! But, I didn't want you to react... like this. I didn't _want _to break your heart. That's why I lied." Jess sighed.

"That was really stupid of you." she mumbled.  
"I know it was. I know it was." Nick murmured.  
"I don't know how to deal with this... I'm so angry with you, but you need me and I want to get you through this. But you make it so hard for me to help you, Nick. I just... I have no idea what to do." She began to quietly sob.  
"You don't have to stay, Jess, you are allowed to leave. I treated you like shit by lying, so it wouldn't surprise me if you broke up with me."

She looked up at him in shock. "Break up with you? Why would you think that?" she exclaimed.  
"You were packing, Jess, I know what that means."  
"I was packing a night bag to stay at Cece's to clear my head. I figured seeing as you'd be at work, we wouldn't be able to talk 'til tomorrow anyway." She looked into his eyes for this first time that evening. "Nick, I could never break up with you." she said, a lump in her throat. "I know I shouted at you and I'm angry, but you have cancer. I can't leave someone I love for lying, when there's a much bigger issue to deal with. It might take me time to forgive you, but I won't leave you, Nick, not ever. I'm going to support you, just like I did before. I love you too much to let you go."

Nick looked shocked. "Oh, thank God." he said, suddenly pulling her in for an embrace. He kissed her with so much love that she thought she would break. She was angry, but she needed to set aside that anger in order to love and support him. Jess kissed him back, so engrossed in the kiss that she almost forgot why she was angry with him in the first place. Leaning her forehead on his, she looked into his eyes.

"I love you so much." she whispered tearfully.  
"I love you." he reciprocated. "and I'm sorry."  
"Ssh, no more apologies. Can we just... take a nap?"  
Nick nodded, and as Jess lay down on her bed, he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

_I'm never letting her go._


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hi! Thanks so much for your support and feedback for this fic so far, I really appreciate it! This chapter is a little bit less angsty than the last, but not by much. I promise the next chapter will be a little more action-packed, but I feel like this chapter needed to be written. Thanks again, and please enjoy Chapter 9!**

"Mr Miller, nice to see you again," said Dr Smith. "And you're Mrs Miller, I presume?" he gestured towards Jess.  
"I'm Jess, Nick's fiancée." she replied, her fingers nervously tapping the arm of the chair. Nick sat quietly beside her, looking at the floor. It had been two days since Jess had discovered the truth, and had decided she needed to know more. Therefore, she was tagging along to Nick's next appointment. Jess noticed that the room smelled extremely clean, which for some reason, made her feel nervous and uncomfortable. She took a deep breath, trying to control her nerves.

"So, Nick, we're going to send you down the hall for a few more tests, is there anything you'd like to discuss?" asked Dr Smith kindly.  
"Actually, Doctor," Jess offered. "Nick hasn't really told me much about the treatments available for his... cancer." She still had trouble saying it.  
"Well, Jess, I explained to Nick that radioiodine treatment, followed by thyroidectomy has a virtually 0% mortality rate. This would mean that the cancer would not return, if all goes to plan. But, Nick was unsure as to whether he'd like to be given this treatment..." his voice faded.

Jess grew visibly angry. "WHAT?" she exclaimed.  
"Jess, I didn't-" Nick began.  
"Nick, you _have to! _ This treatment can make you better, why on earth do you not want it?"  
"It's not that I don't want it, it's just, I'm not sure whether I can... afford it." he said, hanging his head.  
Jess looked at him in disbelief. "Nick, you're getting this treatment." She was adamant.

"But, I don't have the money-"  
"I don't care. I'm helping you pay for it." she stated confidently. "We'll discuss this later, Nicholas, don't try to interrupt me."  
The doctor watched their interaction before speaking up. "Am I correct in assuming that you'll be wanting the treatment, Mr Miller?"

"Yes." Nick almost whispered.

"Excellent. We'll schedule you in at the hospital as soon as possible. The sooner we start treating this, the easier it'll go away. I'm glad you have someone to take care of you, Nicholas. You're gonna need someone to help you through this."  
Nick rested his hand on Jess's, gripping it tightly. _God, he loved her. _For the remainder of their appointment, the doctor explained the procedures in detail, to which Jess listened intently.

Nick, however, couldn't concentrate. He was too busy basking in the glory of Jessica Day. She was worried; he could see that from her bitten fingernails and the tapping of the chair. Nick felt so guilty for putting her through this, but it seemed as if she wanted to be. _She must really love me. _He zoned back into the conversation when Doctor Smith was finishing his explanation, but noticed Jess was almost smiling. Maybe this would be easier than he thought.

They walked back to the car in the parking lot hand in hand.

"I can't pretend I'm not still angry at you, because I am." Jess admitted. "But, I know this hurts you, because it hurts me too. We're going to get through this together, okay?"

"Okay." Nick confirmed. "But, I will pay you back as soon as I can, I can't let you pay for all of this." Jess went on her tip-toes and planted a kiss on his lips as if to silence him. He placed both hands on her neck and pulled her closer, before whispering, "I love you."  
She kissed him again, resisting the urge to bawl her eyes out right in front of him. _She loved him too. _

-Ness-

"So, um, we need to tell you guys something." said Nick. Schmidt, Cece and Winston sat on the couch eagerly awaiting their friends' news. Jess stood next to Nick, holding his hand.  
"Oh my god, you're pregnant!" yelled Cece. Jess sighed.  
"No, Cece, it's not, uh, I'm not pregnant." They could tell from her tone that this was not good news.  
"Guys... What is it?" asked Winston.

Jess began to cry, and Nick looked pretty close himself. Nevertheless, he carried on.  
"Okay, so you know a few years ago, I had that, uh, that... Cancer scare?" Nick began.  
"Yeah, that was awful... Why?" Schmidt was extremely concerned.  
"Well, uh..." Nick's voice broke. "Shit..."

The three began to put two and two together.  
Cece was the first to say anything. "Oh, my god."  
"No." whispered Schmidt, clearly heartbroken. Winston simply put his head in his hands. Jess continued to cry, the realization that her fiancée had _cancer_ hitting her again. Without another word, the five friends embraced in one big group hug.

After a while, they broke free, and began to ask questions.  
"Since when..." Schmidt asked.  
"A few months." Nick responded.  
"Why didn't you..." Winston began.  
"I didn't want you to worry."  
"How bad is..." Cece whispered.  
"It's treatable."

_Silence. _Silence pierced through the room like a bullet as the news sank in.

"Are you okay?" said Schmidt, not knowing whom exactly he was asking.  
Jess answered. "We'll be fine. It'll take some time, and some support, but we'll be fine."  
It was true. In time, with their friends' support, Nick and Jess would come to terms with Nick's cancer. It took a lot of love and time, but soon, it would get better.

-Ness-

Later that night, Nick and Jess lay in bed, neither sleeping.  
"Jess, if I die..."  
"Nick, don't talk like that, please." she sighed.  
"I'm just saying, if I do, don't bury me in a suit; bury me in my comfy jammies, or in my sweatpants. Please don't let my corpse look like Schmidt." he chuckled nervously.

Jess wasn't sure whether it was the long day she'd had, or her sleepiness, but either way, she laughed.  
"You're not going to die, Miller. I won't let you."  
Jess rested her chin on Nick's bare chest, nestling closer to him.  
"I hope not, because I really want to spend like a hundred more years with you, Jess."  
"Me too." Jess yawned. "Goodnight, Miller."  
"Goodnight, Day."

After their familiar exchange, he settled down for a full night of sleep. In his dreams, he saw himself and Jess at the altar, lost in a kiss, confetti flying around them. The next thing he knew, they were in a park, pushing two kids on the swings. The boy had dark hair and blue eyes like his mother; the girl was blonde and had her father's grumpy attitude. They looked so happy; they were a family. _This was what he wanted. If he lived long enough, he'd have a family with Jess. _

He woke up with a start. That was when Nick realized what he wanted to do: if he'd get the all clear, he would surprise Jess with a wedding, days later, or maybe even the same day. He didn't want to think about what he'd do if he didn't get the all clear. Instead, he started mentally planning this wedding. His treatment would last for about a month, at the end of which they would give him the results, meaning he had a month to plan it. It would take a lot of effort, and help from Schmidt and Cece mainly, but he would do it. He'd do it as a thank you for her after everything he'd put Jess through. He would make her see just how much she meant to him.

**AN: Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Thank you so much for all your support so far. I truly appreciate it! So, this chapter is kind of a big one, it's like two chapters in one, size wise. Lots of stuff happens. It took me longer to write because I needed it to be perfect for you guys. So, I hope you like it. This one's for you guys. **

It had been a month since Nick had begun treatment, meaning that it was time for him to know the results. He woke up that morning feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement. For the past month, Nick had been planning his wedding to Jessica Day without letting anything slip to his wife to be. Jess had no idea that in a few hours, she would be whisked away by Cece to put her wedding dress and make up on. Nick had to admit that Cece had been integral to his plan. She'd been so helpful in choosing a dress and rings with him, as well as the venue. They were to marry in a beautiful manor house out in the middle of nowhere, which he knew Jess would appreciate, as she was a huge Downton Abbey fan. Nick, however couldn't keep up and yelled at the tv every time it came on.

But before he could marry his dream girl, before they could walk down the aisle, he had an important appointment at the hospital. When Schmidt had subtly hinted at the possibility of Nick not getting the all clear, and how it would affect their wedding, Nick went into full-on denial mode. He couldn't even think about that. He couldn't let anything ruin his and Jessica's wedding day. But, as he lay in bed, looking over at her, a sudden fear struck him. What would he do if the treatment hadn't worked? Would Jess still want to marry him? There was a chance she'd refuse this surprise wedding either way. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Nick had to stay positive.

Jess began to stir beside him. She slowly turned to face him, stretching her tired limbs.  
"Morning." she said, her voice full of fatigue. She'd barely slept the night before. Nick only knew this because he hadn't slept much either. He could hear her sighing in the middle of the night, frustrated that she couldn't sleep. Nick gently kissed her forehead.  
"G'morning."  
"How are you feeling today?" she whispered.  
"Uh, I'm not sure. I'm tired, but other than that, okay. You?" he murmured.  
"How I feel doesn't matter. Today is all about you, Miller. We're gonna get through this whatever the doctor tells us. Okay?" She laced a hand through his.  
"Okay."

-Ness-

He didn't know what to say. He was utterly speechless. He tried to process what he had just been told, but he couldn't. They had gone to the hospital, they had sat down, and they'd received his results. After all this time, all the waiting and the hoping, Nick never truly believed this would happen. He had told himself it was possible, but had never quite accepted it. Jess felt the same. He could see that she was taken aback by the news. How long had they been sitting there? It felt like hours had gone by. He could feel tears beginning to form in his eyes and for one short moment, he held it together. He stopped the tears from falling. He resisted falling to the floor. But that was for merely a few seconds. All of sudden, these emotions began to flood out of his that he didn't know existed. He gripped the side of his chair as he wept. He hadn't cried like this in a long time. It was the kind of crying only someone completely overwhelmed could do.

He looked to his right, and Jessica mirrored his actions. Tears cascaded down her beautifully pale cheeks as she sobbed. Doctor Smith looked teary-eyed himself.

"W-wait, Doctor..." Jess broke the silence. "So, this means that Nick hasn't..." her words lingered in the air.  
"Yes, Miss Day. The treatment was effective. You're all clear, Mr Miller. You're all clear."  
Nick let out a sound that was half scream, half sob. He couldn't contain his utter joy any longer, and grabbed Jess with both arms, pressing her close.  
"I'll give you two some time alone." said Dr Smith, before leaving.

"Nick, I..." said Jess, still holding Nick close.  
"I know, Jess, it's... It's amazing." said Nick. "I love you so much."  
"I love you." Jess placed a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him closer. Their kiss was unlike one they'd ever experienced. It was as if their lips longed for the other's, the relief of knowing Nick was okay making them more passionate. They soon remembered where they were and pulled away. Nick placed a hand on Jess's cheek and pecked her lips one last time.  
"Nick Miller," Jess chuckled. "Take me home."

Their car journey from the hospital was odd. Nick was trying to resist telling Jess where they were going, as she remained clueless that the loft was not their destination. It was now twelve, and Nick was anxious. They had to be there on time. Jess, however, had other ideas.  
"Can we, uh, stop somewhere? I have to pee." she stated.  
"Jess, you can pee when we get there." Nick smiled.  
"But I have to go right now." her desperate tone made Nick a little suspicious. Sighing, he pulled into a gas station.  
"Thank you." she pecked his lips quickly before skipping to the store. He loved seeing her so happy. Jess hadn't been _really _happy for such a long time.

It had been ten minutes since Jess left, and Nick was getting nervous. He tapped the steering wheel impatiently, wondering what on earth was taking her so long. A few minutes later, Jess returned with a plastic bag.  
"Hey, what did you buy?" Nick inquired.  
"Oh, uh, just two candy bars. I figured we could celebrate with some chocolate." she said, shifting in her seat.  
"You needed a bag for two candy bars?"  
"God, Nick, I didn't want them to melt in my wonderfully warm hands!" she said, as if he'd accused her of murdering someone. Nick chuckled at her tone. She was probably just tired. At the turning that would usually take them to the loft, he turned left, rather than right. He knew he'd have to start explaining now.

"Nick, wrong way." she stated nonchalantly.  
"Uh, no it's not, Jess."  
"Miller, it's right for the loft, left for the middle of freaking nowhere."  
"I know." There was a moment of silence before Jess spoke.  
"Nick, where are you taking me?"  
Nick grinned before answering. "I'm taking you to your wedding, Miss Day."

-Ness-

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?" Jess exclaimed. _Wedding? Taking her to... WEDDING? _ She couldn't breathe.  
"Jess, calm down, everything is organized." Nick kept his eyes on the road. "A month ago, I decided to surprise you with a wedding today. It's at this beautiful mansion and your dress is gorgeous, don't worry."  
"Bu- How did you... When... Nick! How did you even do this? Oh my god..." she was breathless.

"Cece, Schmidt and Winston helped me, I gotta admit. But, I mean, you don't have to do this, I can take you back to the loft if you're not ready."  
She paused, taking a breath. "Nick, it's a surprise, and I'm overwhelmed right now. I mean, it's been a big day already, and you just made it even bigger. But, I love you and this was the perfect way to have our wedding."  
"Okay. Next stop, our wedding!"

Before Jess could stop and think about what she was doing, she was ready to marry Nick Miller. In a small room inside the manor house, Cece had helped her get ready. She looked beautiful. Her dress was perfect, and she couldn't believe that Nick _freaking _Miller had done all of this for her. It took all of her will power not to cry.

"Babe," Cece said. "You look breathtaking." Cece, being maid of honor, had made sure all of the bridesmaids were under control. The bridesmaids consisted of Sadie and Melissa's baby daughter, Jess's 21 and 22 year old cousins from Portland, and Nick's niece, who was eight. Nick had asked Bob for his blessing, and surprisingly, Bob had given it. Both of their mothers were also attending, along with close family and friends.

"Thank you, Cece. I thought I'd be freaking out right now, but I'm pretty calm. D'you think Nick's panicking?"  
"Nah, I'm sure he's fine."

Meanwhile, in another small room, Nick, Schmidt and Winston were going over Nick's vows.  
"Look, Nick, I don't think you need to prepare. Schmidty made his vows up on the spot, and look how well that turned out." said Schmidt.  
"Yeah, I mean, tell her how much you love her, and why. You can do that, right?" Winston said, assuring his best friend.

"Yeah, I can. I'll just tell her why I love her. Like, I love her because of the way she yells at reality tv, and the way she makes me breakfast sometimes. Ooh, and the way she kisses me in the morning-" Nick rambled.  
"Dude, we get it. What happened to you, man? You're sickening." joked Winston.  
"It's Jess, man. She made me this better version of myself. She makes me want to be amazing at everything and anything I do. She's a force of freaking nature, y'know?"

"Nick," said Schmidt. "You got this. I'd offer my services as a wedding saboteur, but I really don't think you need it."  
"Yeah. Nothing's gonna sabo this wedding."  
Schmidt smiled at the use of his coined word, and the three group hugged.  
"Wow. Big day." said Winston.

The clock chimed two thirty in the big hall of the mansion. Nick stood at the bottom of the aisle with his best men, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother chatting with Jess's parents. Joan and Bob seemed to be tolerating each other as they smiled and laughed. His mother had called him five times that day to see how their appointment had gone. When she'd arrived at the wedding, she had hugged him tightly. Usually, he'd have been embarrassed, but today he hugged her back and told her he loved her.

He began to get increasingly nervous as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle. He noticed the twinkle in Schmidt's eye and his gleaming smile in reaction to seeing Cece walk down the aisle. She looked beautiful. Nick only hoped he wouldn't cry like a baby when he saw Jess. Schmidt gave him a nod as if to support him. Suddenly, the music for the bride to enter began playing. He knew he was meant to look forward and not see her 'til she arrived, but it was so hard. Winston looked behind him and leaned in to whisper in Nick's ear.

"You're in for a treat." he said.  
"Hey, that's my fiancée you're talking about." Nick joked.

_Only a few more seconds. _She was there. Jess was stood next to him, and when he turned to see her, it was like a tornado of beauty hit him with full force. She looked so stunning he thought he would cry.

When it came to the vows, Jess went first.  
"Well, uh, I didn't have much time to write vows. I've known about this wedding for about two hours, so bear with me. Nick, there's something about you that makes me completely weak in the knees. Maybe it's the way you care about me so much, or the way you smile. Maybe it's the face you make when you dance." she chuckled. "Whatever it is, I love it. And I love you for making my days happier and more exciting. I love you for making me realize that if I wanted passion and a loving relationship, you were the key to that. Who would've thought I'd fall in love with one of the guys that sang Dirty Dancing to me in a restaurant, right? I just really love you for believing in me, even when I do stupid things. A few hours ago, I thought I would lose you, and it killed me. I don't ever want to lose you because it would be like losing a part of myself. You're the best man I've ever had the privilege of loving, so thank you."

Nick dried his eyes quickly, hoping no one would notice.  
"Jessica, when you walked out here today, I was literally speechless. It's a good thing you went first, because I could not speak. You're the most beautiful, smart, crazy, hilarious woman I've ever met. We've been through so much, and we haven't even been together a year! How you didn't walk away from me, I'll never know. You make me want to be a better person. You make me want to do my laundry and do well at work and actually cook a meal. I love you so much. I do, I really love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, because I couldn't bear waking up with anyone else by my side. Thank you for loving me, even when I'm completely intolerable. I love you."

When it was finally time for them to say to kiss, Nick grabbed his new wife and kissed her as if his life depended on it.

"I love you, Mrs Miller." he whispered against her lips.  
"I love you, Mr Miller." giggled Jess.

-Ness-

It was dark outside, but Jess needed some air. It was almost time for their first dance, but Jess was nervous. All day, she had pushed this... problem to the back of her mind because of all the shocks of the day. But now it was consuming her. She heard the shuffling of feet behind her and turned to see her husband. _Husband. _

"Jess, what are ya doing out here? It's freezing!" She didn't reply. "Jess?"  
"Nick, I..." her voice was quiet and afraid. She held back tears.  
"Jess, are you okay?" He rushed to her side and draped his jacket over her.

"I don't know!" she sobbed. "I was going to tell you something today, but then the wedding happened and I almost forgot, but now..."  
"Ssh, it's okay, you can tell me now."  
"Please don't be mad at me." she said. He paused for a second. What had happened to her?  
"I-I won't be, Jess, please tell me, baby." He placed an arm around her waist.  
"Well, uh, remember the day we got engaged? When we, uh, on the couch..."  
"Jess, I will never forget what we did on that couch... Sorry, carry on."

"Well, I told you I was on the pill, right? And then later on, you told me about your cancer. And we fought, and I don't know what happened, I think I forgot... I must've forgotten..." she said, sobbing into her hands.  
"Jess, what are you saying?" he said gently.  
"I forgot to take my pill. And I'm late. That's why I wanted to stop at the gas station. I bought a pregnancy test. Nick, I'm so sorry..."  
"Hey, ssh, it's gonna be okay... It's gonna be okay..." Nick was in shock.

"I'm so scared..." Jess sobbed. _So am I, _Nick thought. _So am I._


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hi guys! I'm thrilled with the response this fic has gotten, so thanks for that! This chapter is set straight after the last, time-wise. Get ready for another possibly life-changing chapter for Nick and Jess. Enjoy!  
**

Nicholas and Jessica Miller stood outside in the cold, their arms wrapped around each other. Jess buried her head in her husband's chest, overwhelmed by the shocks of the day.  
"Jess..." he murmured. "D'you maybe wanna go, uh, take the test?" Jess looked up at him.  
"I don't know. I'm not sure I can do this today. But, I guess I'd like to know for sure. Okay, what if we-"

At that moment, Schmidt burst through the doors.  
"There you two are! It's time for your first dance! Gosh, I know you're dying for married intercourse, but could you keep your hands off each other for five minutes?" he yelled.  
Nick and Jess looked at him, then back at each other.  
"Give us one minute, Schmidt." said Nick sternly. Schmidt huffed, then walked back inside.  
"Okay, so we do our first dance, then make some excuses, and meet outside the bathrooms, yeah?" Nick asked.

"Okay. C'mon, Schmidt'll be pissed if we're late." said Jess, grabbing his hand. The newly-married couple walked hand-in-hand to the dancefloor as their song began to play. As Jess had not been involved in the planning, she had no clue which song they'd be dancing to. The tune seemed familiar to her, but slightly different. It was a slow song, but she felt as if she'd heard a faster version of it. When the lead singer of the band began singing, she knew exactly which song it was.  
"_Where did you come from... where did you go? Where did you come from... Cotton Eyed Joe?" _

Jess chuckled. "Nick, are you serious?"  
Nick was grinning. "This is our song, Jessica! Cece doesn't seem to mind hearing it again, anyway!"  
Jess looked over to her best friend, who was looking at them in awe as she rested her head on Schmidt's shoulder. She was happy that Cece'd gotten the life she'd deserved. She turned back to Nick.

"I love you so much."  
"I love you, too, Jess. And if there is a, you know," he whispered. "Baby, I love him or her too."  
"Really? Even though we're petrified?" she whispered back.  
"Really. Everything new is scary at first. Like when I fell in love with you, I was completely terrified. But I think it turned out pretty well, don't you?"  
"Yeah, it did."

They swayed along to the slowed-down version of the song that had first united them, chests pressing together. Nick thought a change of subject might be of use as the song came to a close.  
"So, first love making of the marriage, later in the honeymoon sweet, or quickie in the bathroom?" he teased.  
"Oh, give me a quickie, I can't hold out until later on. Plus, if there's no bun in my oven, I plan on being drunk out of my mind later, so it'll probably be better when we're both kinda sober."  
"Quickie it is!" Nick agreed. They both laughed, but as the song finished, they realized it was time for them to learn whether they were going to be parents.

-Ness-

"How long has it been now?" asked Jess. Nick looked down at the timer on her phone.  
"Just over a minute." he breathed. "Look, Jess, I just want you to know, if it's positive, that's fine, if it's negative, that's fine too. But if we are having a baby, I will never leave you, ever. I'm gonna support you, and help you in any way I can. Whether you're pregnant now, or in a few months or years down the line. I love you. And I will try my best to be a damn good father to our kids, because I love you. And I'm gonna love them too."

"Nick... that's..." She kissed him. Yes, they were in a toilet cubicle, which was hardly romantic, but Jess didn't care. The words he'd just spoken had made her heart melt. She hadn't realized how responsible Nick was, and how great of a father he would make. They were losing themselves in each other, slowly devouring each other in kisses, when a small beeping sound interrupted them.

"Time's up." stated Jess. "You ready?"  
"I think so. You?"  
"Yeah, I think so too."  
Jess picked up the test, Nick looking at her eagerly.

"What does a red line mean?" he asked.  
"It's negative." she stated, in shock. "It's negative!" she exclaimed.  
"Oh, thank God." uttered Nick, pulling Jess close. She flung the test into the little garbage can and pulled him by his collar, guiding him to her lips.  
"Is now a good time for that quickie? Because weirdly, knowing I'm not pregnant is kind of turning me on..."  
"Hell yes, we have a good fifteen minutes before the guests can actually find these bathrooms. Honestly, putting them on the second floor, who even planned out this building?"  
"Shut up." she giggled.

Jess quickly unbuckled her husband's belt as he got to work on lifting the skirt of her dress.  
"Jeez, this is difficult to manoeuvre..." he muttured.  
"Well, you can't blame me, you're the one who chose it!" she laughed. She pulled down his trousers swiftly and began to tease him through his underwear.  
"Jess, I know we wanted a quickie, but if you keep teasing me like that, it'll be over in seconds."  
"Well, hurry up with my underwear, then, Miller!"  
"I'm trying, _Miller." _he smiled. _God, that sounded good. _

Once the underwear debacle had been solved, they were ready to go. Nick raised Jess so that her legs could comfortably hook around his waist, resting her back on the walls of the cubicle. He slipped a finger inside her folds, followed by another. His action was met by an ear-piercing groan-scream.  
"Nick, Nick, NICHOLAS!" she groaned into his ear, which was making his situation a little, uh, _harder._ "I need you, Nick, please, I-I need..."

That was all the permission he needed to pick her up and press her up against the door of the cubicle. He positioned himself at her entrance, and thrust into her.

"Ni-i-ck!" she yelped.  
"Jessica..." he groaned under his breath. "So... good."

He pulled out of her, then straight back in, eliciting cries of pure ecstasy from his wife. For a while, they just held each other's hands and reveled in the delight and pleasure they were feeling, as Nick's hard member filled her to her core. Moments later, he could feel her walls clenching around him, and knew he was close too.

"I love you, Mrs Miller..." he whispered between thrusts.  
"I love _you." _ Soon enough, Jess was biting down hard on her lip as Nick exploded inside her, which resulted in the most mind-blowing orgasm she'd ever received.

They were breathless.  
"That was..." Nick whispered.  
"I know." Jess said before kissing him again.  
"We better go cut the cake, they're probably waiting."  
"Let them wait a little while longer. Can't exactly cut the cake without us, can they?" she giggled, before wrapping her arms around her husband's neck.

If she was honest with herself, she'd been a little disappointed with her pregnancy test result. In the few minutes they'd been waiting for it, she had gotten a little excited at the idea of having Nick's baby. But, Nick had seemed relieved. So was Jess, in a way. They probably weren't ready, but Jess still felt a little crestfallen by the news. Little did she know, Nick felt exactly the same.

**AN: Please review/favorite/follow!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: ANNOUNCEMENT TIME! This fic, as you may have guessed, will soon be coming to an end. Also, I have temporarily abandoned In Five Years Time because writing Finchel hurts. But, just a heads up for you HIMYM fans, I will be writing something Swarkles-related when this fic is done. Thank you for your continued support, and please enjoy Chapter 12!**

It had been two months since their wedding, but it had flown by in what felt like a few days. Nick and Jess Miller had bought a house not very far from the loft. Yes, an actual house. It wasn't huge, but it was theirs. Nick had also been promoted at Clyde's and was now manager of the bar. It meant that he was now earning a little more than his co-workers, and that he could contribute to the costs of the house. The one thing Nick particularly loved about their new house was the garden. He'd decided that today was the day he'd surprise his wife with his plans to decorate it.

It was a Wednesday, meaning Jess was at work, and Nick had a day off. He was awoken by the soft sound of singing.  
"_Somewhere... over the rainbow, way up high..." _ It was heavenly. Nick didn't mind being woken up to such a pleasant sound, and it was made better by the fact it was being sung by his _wife. He had a wife. _Even thinking about the word gave him chills. He opened his eyes and threw the covers off the bed.

"Good mornin', Mrs Miller!" he said, standing behind her, dotting kisses up and down her neck.  
"Ni-ick! I'm trying to put my necklace on!" she exclaimed.  
"I'll do it for you, my dear." he said, smiling. He brushed her hair to one side. The soft skin of her neck against his fingers was simply divine. He could've sworn she'd felt it too, from the shiver he seemed to have elicited.

"Thank you, my dear husband." she beamed. And with that, he turned her around and their lips collided. His hand was still on his wife's neck, pressing it so that she could be as close as possible. Married life was awesome. "So, what are you doing today?" she asked, reluctantly breaking free from their embrace.

"Uh, um, well, nothing. Nope, nothing." Jess looked at him suspiciously. Could she tell he had something planned? He pretended to glance at the clock.  
"Hey, you gotta go or you'll be late." he stated.  
She sighed jokingly. "Ugh, jobs. I'll be back at four. I expect a thoroughly good time when I return, Nicholas!" She quickly pressed her lips against his. "Bye."

Nick waited for the sound of the front door closing before running outside into the garden. He had eight hours to transform their little garden into a paradise. It would be hard, but he had some backup. As if on cue, he heard the doorbell ring. He ran to the front door, and opened it, revealing Schmidt, Cece and Winston's smiling faces. Or, rather, Cece's smiling face. Schmidtty and Winston looked a little annoyed at having to be helping out. It was their only day off of the week, and they'd have to spend it getting messy in Nick's back garden. No innuendo intended.

"Hey, guys, come in, come in!" greeted Nick. Cece looked around the living room.  
"Wow, this looks way better than it did to begin with! Your handiwork, I presume?" she asked Nick.  
"Jess helped with the painting, but yeah, it was me." he smiled. His eyes were distracted, however, by Schmidt's attire.

"Nicholas, I know I'm a very attractive man, but my wife is right there. Also, you have a wife. Quit staring at me!" he exclaimed.  
"Dude, I was looking at your clothes. We've gardening today, man, what's with the shirt?" As Nick finished his sentence, Schmidt groaned. True, he was wearing what appeared to Nick as a fancy shirt, but it was Schmidt's worst shirt, as he explained to his best friend.

"So, it's a perfectly acceptable gardening outfit, thank you very much."  
Nick rolled his eyes before walking them to the garden.  
"So, what exactly are we doing with this... miniature field, Nick?" inquired Winston.  
"Yeah, it's pretty big, I get it. Well, I have the water fountain coming in at eleven o' clock, I have all the flowers and plants in the shed, and then all that's left are the pretty twinkly lights."  
Cece, who was dressed down for the occasion, picked up a shovel. "Okay then, let's get started."

-Ness-

By four o'clock, Nick was done. He had no idea how he'd managed it, but with the help of his closest friends, he'd turned their garden into a Jess paradise. He flipped a switch near the back door, and the water danced down the fountain, just as Nick had hoped. He then flicked the next switch; on came the tasteful twinkly lights, which hung from one side of the garden to the other, above a garden swing seat for two, which he knew Jess would love. The flowers Cece and Schmidt had planted looked very pretty; organized in a line as if leading up to the fountain. Nick smiled. It wasn't much, but it was _theirs._

His favourite part, however, was the shed. He'd cleared it out and made it into a little cabin, so that they could stay warm in the winter months, but still want to be outside of the house. It was equipped with a tiny heater, stereo, minifridge (which, without Winston, would've been a disaster to set up), and sofa with plenty of blankets. _Not bad, Miller, _he thought, _not bad at all. _

He decided that he should clean up a little before Jess arrived, and briskly ran upstairs to get a clean shirt and jeans. Just as he'd gone back outside to turn everything off, he heard the front door opening.

"Honey, I'm home!" teased Jess, taking off her coat, calling out to her husband.  
"Jess!" he exclaimed, a little too eager. "How was your day?"  
"Meh, it was okay, but let's not discuss that... A certain someone owes me a little something, don't they?" she gleamed, before pressing her lips against his. Nick groaned. She was such a good kisser that he almost forgot about the garden, and was completely ready to pick her up and take her to the bedroom. But then, he controlled himself.

"Uh... I have something to show you." he blurted, slightly distracted by her cleavage.  
"Yeah, you do..." Jess kissed him again, tugging on his shirt.  
"Well, okay, yes, _that... _I meant something else though."  
She looked at him, confused. "You'll see what I mean if you just follow me."  
Nick took her hand and let her out to the garden. "Close your eyes, and don't open them until I say so." he ordered.  
They walked outside. "Nick, what is..." she began.  
"Ssh. Okay, you can open your eyes."

As she opened them, he flicked the switch. Jess was so taken aback that she almost collapsed.  
"Nick, did... did you do this?"  
"I had a little help from the gang, but yeah. It was me."  
Jess walked around the garden, Nick watching her amazed expression. She seemed astonished at every aspect, especially the twinkly lights, gasping at random intervals. She walked further, to the fountain. Then she turned around. _Shit. _Jess had tears in her eyes.

"Jessica, oh my god, what's wrong?" He rushed over to her.  
"No... It's not that... It's just... This is perfect. How did you know I'd like this? This is amazing."  
"That's why you're crying? Are you sure? I can change anything you don't like."  
"No. I love it. I love you." They embraced for a while, their lips slowly colliding. Nick could taste her salty tears, and pulled away.  
"Jess...? I know you, what is it?"

Then Jess spoke those few words Nick had been dying to hear for months. She wasn't expecting his reaction.

**AN: AAAAH? WHAT IS JESSICA DAY HIDING? Find out next time, which will be the final chapter (except for the epilogue, of course)**


End file.
